Broken Wheel
by Sagittaria sagittifolia
Summary: Who would have guessed that a broken wheel can be something good. Prompts in Panem: The Farewell Tour Day 3 – Expressions in Everlark - Choose Your Own Adventure (generated pic)


Summary: Who would have guessed that a broken wheel can be something good.

Prompts in Panem: The Farewell Tour Day 3 – Expressions in Everlark - Choose Your Own Adventure (generated pic)

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AN:English is not my mother tongue, but thanks to my beta roseymama. All my PiP contributions in this round are written in a few hours (a personal challenge), so don´t expect too much. All characters belong to Suzanne Collins. I just borrowed them

We will be too late for church.

This is not good at all. The city is already against us. If we arrive too late it will be just another reason to talk about the "Three Everdeen women". The widow with her 2 girls that live with her brother.

But to be honest was I the real reason why the whole of Panem, Pensylvannia is talking about us.

"Did you know that the oldest Everdeen girl hunts?"they say.

"Did you know that the oldest Everdeen girl walks around in pants? No wonder that she isn´t married yet".

I´m the scandal.

Strange how everything changed in just a short time, how in the beginning were the people nice, helpful, outgoing, and still a bit curious about the 3 women. I hated it from the beginning. They stood at our door, or better said the door of my uncle, every day, asking, looking, watching but after 2 weeks the nice women of Panem realized that I, Katniss Everdeen, was not interested in town gossip. Even more horrified were the proud and proper women when they saw me coming out of the woods, covered in blood, with my bow and arrows, one of the last pieces I have left of my father, with rabbits on my belt.

After this no one was standing every day in front of the door. Every time we came into the city, people looked at us strangely, and some were down right insulting. Only the fact that my uncle Haymitch Abernathy was the wealthiest man in the whole region and also the biggest employer kept us from encountering open hostility. . But we could still feel it.

The citizens of Panem were obstinate and every deviation from the norm was not acceptable. And I deviate from the standard in more than one way. Also my silent mother, who withdrew into herself after my father´s death almost 6 months ago, wasn´t as the good wives of the city imagined her. Only my little sister Primrose, my happy, sunny little Prim was exactly like the Panem´s fine people imagine a good and honest woman. Sadly she still was an Everdeen and so was also ignored by the majority.

It was harder for Prim than for me. She was loved and appreciated in our old home. So my mother and also my uncle thought it would be better to still go to church every Sunday. I´m not very religious, my mother maybe more, but religion was not the reason why we visited the church. . Haymitch could stay away because everyone already called him a lost cause, but if we did the same the general opintion about us would only get worse.

So I put on my best dress every Sunday and take our old carriage pulled by Buttercup, our reliable horse, out and drive the 6 miles to the church. Everything was fine till now.

The day started already bad. We were late because I had to check my snares in the morning. Then I encountered a doe, and I had to follower her because the meat was just too precious for my family. And now the damn wheel had to was the most horrible thing that could happen to us. I tried everything, but even if I had another wheel with me I could not raise the carriage at all. I could see tears in Prim´s eyes and my mother looked more than nervous. If we not appear at the Service that would mean even more neglect, more insults, being social pariahs. For me was it not important but the weak frame of mind of my mother would become more burdensome and my sweet little sister, who everyone loved so much before, would be destroyed. But nothing I tried worked, and I started to become desperate.

Then I see that something was on the street coming from town, another small carriage on its way to church. A muscular young man stopped his horse directly behind us, got down from his wagon, pulled off his hat and moved to us. It was the baker, Peeta Mellark. Just 1 year ago he took over the bakery from his father who was now retired. From time to time, the old man was still in the store helping his son. But apparently was he not there because he missed the work or was so bored he had to do something, but because he couldn´t stay so long in the presence of his horrible wife. That was what Miss Trinket, the boutique owner and only person still visiting us all the time, told my mother and also me, even though I was not really interested. But I was sure it was true, after all everyone called Mrs. Mellark 'the witch'.

"Good morning Mrs. Everdeen" he said to my mother and bowed his head for a second.

A "Miss Everdeen" that was directed to my sister.

"Miss Everdeen" the last one was for me and I got the feeling he looked at me longer than my mother and sister.

"Could I help you in any way?"

"Oh Mister Mellark, good morning. That would be so gracious of you. We are a bit late," my mother said, and at the last part she sounded nervous.

He put on his hat again and walked the short distance to the broken wheel.

"That doesn´t look good, ma'am. It has to switch. Sadly I don´t have a spare at the moment, but I can get one after the Service and change it for you. You could drive with me to the church. Why don´t you get on my carriage? I'll take your horse and we can let the wagon stand here."

My mother started to smile. "Oh Mister Mellark, I don´t know how I could thank you."

"No problem at all ma'am" he said, now also smiling.

He reached out first for my little sister helping her down, then my mother. We walked back to his carriage, a newer and bigger one, and again he helped first my sister then my mother. When it was my turn to get up I couldn´t shake off the tingle in my body when his fingers were on my waist, and I couldn´t stop the blush that spread to my cheeks. I´m not sure but I think I also saw his cheeks getting a reddish sheen.

After he unharnessed Buttercup and tied him to his wagon he jumped on and we were again on our way to church. During the whole drive he and Prim talked in an easy way about many things. Peeta Mellark was always pleasant, attentive and nice. Even to me, the scandalous girl. The people loved him in town and it was no secret that every unmarried girl was after the desired bachelor.

For me he was only a good customer. Around 2 months ago he asked me after a Service if I was interested to trade rabbits for bread. First I thought we was making a cruel joke, but when I was standing at his back door the next day, he looked really happy to see me. He took me inside the bakery, gave me some tea and cookies and chatted with me about the weather.

It was surreal.

He was still doing this every time we traded and I caught myself talking more and more with him at every visit, and I was getting more and more excited every time I was standing at the back door.

My cheeks would always blush when I saw him, and I got giddy.

When we arrived at the church it was shortly before the Service started, with people walking in. When they saw us they stopped and stared, not believing why the popular baker was walking and talking to the 3 pariahs. Peeta helped us again down and took my mother's arm when he walked to the church. He greeted everyone warmly and they greeted back and even said hello to my mother and us two sisters.

I walked next to my sister still confused about all the friendly behavior after all the ignoring us in the last months when my sister started to swoon over our `savior`.

"He is so nice! And polite! And he looks so handsome, don´t you think Katniss?" she asked in an airy sigh.

My cheeks burned.

"Pst Prim!" I was startled. „You shouldn´t think about something like that! You are too young to think about it!"

Prim just laughs at me. „Oh Katniss don´t be so serious. I know you like him."

My head turned so fast in her direction that I hit myself with my braid.

"What?" I was saying in a real loud whisper.

Prim laughed again. „Oh please everyone can see it! And believe me: He likes you too!"

„Really?" I asked nervous with my sight turned back to the front where my mother and Peeta just sat down. Apparently my mother asked him to sit with us today.

"I´m really, really sure" Prim answered and squeezed my arm and sat down next to my mother so that I have to sit next to Peeta.

My face became red again and my nerves were going crazy . Prim´s words running through my head. I almost missed my mother asking Peeta if he wanted to come to dinner this evening as a thank you for his help.

He smiled, his eyes peering in my direction for a second. "I would love to come Mrs. Everdeen."

Maybe the broken wheel was not such a catastrophe after all.


End file.
